bee houses

A group of Girl Scouts from several troops in Virginia recently took part in a pollinator project hosted by BASF Corporation on their property in Williamsburg, Virginia.

The girls started the day with an educational session about the different types of native bees and the important role bees play in today’s food supply. Per the Ecological Society of America and the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign, about one out of every three mouthfuls of food that people eat and beverages that people drink are delivered to them by pollinators.

With help from Kathryn Sommo, a Senior Scientist with Roux Associates, Inc., a BASF contract partner, the group then installed cavity-nesting solitary bee houses in an adjacent native wildflower meadow. BASF also provided the girls bee houses to take home and install in their yards to encourage the population growth of native solitary bees, such as mason and leafcutter bees. The girls also learned about ways to educate others in their communities to help grow native bee populations by growing food in gardens and planting native wildflowers.

Girl Scouts have a long history of inspiring girls to develop a lasting commitment to the environment by promoting activities that focus on care, conservation, and responsibility. Through relationships, such as the one with BASF to help protect bee populations, Girl Scouts cultivate a lasting appreciation for their environments and native wildlife.